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Trip from Hobbs, NM to Tome, NM

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

7h 3m

Distance

347.1 mi

559 km

Drive Score

10/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$53

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min
4 AM
6h 52m ★
6 AM
7h 3m
8 AM
7h 26m
10 AM
7h 11m
12 PM
7h 9m
3 PM
7h 12m
5 PM
7h 25m
8 PM
6h 57m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States

Hobbs, NM

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Tome, NM, NM

Tome, NM

Tolga deniz Aran

Trip Overview

This 347.1-mile drive from Hobbs, NM to Tome, NM will take approximately 7 hours and 3 minutes of driving time, making it a feasible day trip. You'll spend about 33% of your journey on highways, with the bulk of the miles on South Main Street and I-40. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $52, and you'll want to plan for at least two stops along the way. This route offers a mixed drive experience through the Desert Southwest region of New Mexico. Given the duration, starting early will allow for a comfortable pace and time to enjoy the scenery.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

173.5 miles from Hobbs, NM

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 43m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Main Street 113.3 mi 2h 13m
I 40 57.9 mi 1h 1m
NM Highway 529 31.2 mi 46m
Southeast Main Street 30 mi 35m
Lovington Highway 29.1 mi 43m
Shenrick Street 27.5 mi 31m
Pan American Freeway 22.2 mi 23m
West Carlsbad Highway 12 mi 13m
Longest stretch: South Main Street — 113.3 mi, about 2h 13m

Traffic on I-40

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 25 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~2,927 veh/hr typical · worst 3,488

Quietest

3 AM

~337 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

8.7×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 51 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hobbs, NM and Tome, NM.

1

Start on North Turner Street

0.4 mi · 47 sec · North Turner Street
2

Turn right onto US 62; US 180

2.5 mi · 2 min · West Marland Boulevard
3

Continue on US 62; US 180

12 mi · 13 min · West Carlsbad Highway
4

Turn right onto NM 529

31 mi · 46 min · NM Highway 529
5

At end of road, turn left onto US 82

29 mi · 43 min · Lovington Highway
6

Continue on US 82

2.1 mi · 3 min · East Main Street
7

Turn right onto US 285

2.0 mi · 2 min · North 1st Street
8

Continue on US 285

7.2 mi · 8 min · Roswell Highway
9

Continue on US 285

30 mi · 35 min · Southeast Main Street
10

Continue on US 285

113 mi · 2 hr 13 min · South Main Street
11

Continue on US 60; US 285

28 mi · 31 min · Shenrick Street
12

Turn left

0.2 mi · 28 sec
Use the left lane.
13

Merge onto I 40

58 mi · 1 hr 1 min · I 40
14

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 17 sec
Exit 159B-C Toward I 25 North, I 25 South: Las Cruces, Santa Fe Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 159B Toward I 25 South: Las Cruces Use the straight lane.
16

Merge onto I 25

22 mi · 23 min · Pan American Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Exit 203 Toward HR 66: University of New Mexico Valencia Campus Use the slight right lane.
18

Turn left onto NM 6

0.3 mi · 32 sec · Main Street Southwest
19

Continue on NM 6

0.8 mi · 1 min · Main Street Northwest
20

Continue on NM 6

0.6 mi · 59 sec · Main Street Southwest
21

Continue on NM 6

1.6 mi · 2 min · Main Street Northeast
22

Turn right onto NM 263

0.4 mi · 48 sec · El Cerro Road
23

Continue on NM 263

0.3 mi · 46 sec · Vigil Road
24

Turn right onto NM 47

4.3 mi · 7 min · Highway 47
25

Turn right onto Church Loop Road

109 ft · 4 sec · Church Loop Road
26

Arrive at destination

Church Loop Road

Trip Plan

For this 7-hour drive, consider an early morning departure from Hobbs, NM, to maximize daylight and allow for your two planned stops without feeling rushed. The estimated fuel cost of $52 is a good baseline, but always factor in a buffer. Pay attention to your fuel gauge, especially during the longest stretch of 113.3 miles on South Main Street, as services might be more spread out. Breaking up the drive with stops will help you stay alert and enjoy the journey through New Mexico.

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 173.5 miles from Hobbs, NM, or about 3h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 113.3 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 76 miles or 1h 48m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 173.5 miles or 3h 43m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 53m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tome, NM than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Hobbs, NM so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Hobbs, NM

This is one driving day of about 347.1 miles and 7h 3m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 76 miles from Hobbs, NM.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on South Main Street for about 113.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown McIntosh, NM, NM

Mid-route town

Meal stop

McIntosh, NM

174 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Atoka, NM

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 76 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Roswell, NM

Meal break

The midpoint is around 173.5 miles from Hobbs, NM, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before South Main Street if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 113.3 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Chisum Travel Center

0 mi from route

US-285 Vaughn Picnic Area

0 mi from route

Mesa Rest Area

0 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

0.1 mi from route

Cline's Corners

0.1 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

0.1 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

0.2 mi from route

TA

0.3 mi from route

TA

0.3 mi from route

Lisa's Truck Center

0.3 mi from route

Love's Travel Stop

1 mi from route

Dr. John Clarke Rest Area

1.4 mi from route

Rest Area

2 mi from route

Rest Area

2.3 mi from route

Wheels Museum

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~10 min detour

Home stretch 4.2 mi from route ~10 min detour

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Hours: 9 am–12 pm

+15052436269

Visit website

ABQ BioPark Zoo

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~11 min detour

Home stretch 4.5 mi from route ~11 min detour

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+15057682000

Visit website

Turquoise Museum

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, ~12 min detour

Home stretch 4.6 mi from route ~12 min detour

Albuquerque, New Mexico

+15054333684

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 257.2 and 338.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
257.2 mi into trip | ~5h 21m in

Turn left

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
8
315.3 mi into trip | ~6h 23m in

Take the exit toward I 25 North, I 25 South: Las Cruces, Santa Fe

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 159B-C Toward I 25 North, I 25 South: Las Cruces, Sant...
8
315.6 mi into trip | ~6h 23m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 25 South: Las Cruces

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane. Exit 159B Toward I 25 South: Las Cruces
5
316.4 mi into trip | ~6h 25m in | I 25 / Pan American Freeway

Merge onto I 25 / Pan American Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
338.5 mi into trip | ~6h 48m in

Take the exit toward HR 66: University of New Mexico Valencia Campus

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 203 Toward HR 66: University of New Mexico Valencia...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$53.35 one way

$106.70 round trip

$3.90/gal 25.4 MPG avg 121 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.32 $59.01 $118.01
premium $4.65 $63.50 $127.01
diesel $5.35 $73.11 $146.22

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$53

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$78–$103

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 121.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.

Driving Electric?

About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 104.1 1 $36.45 $16.66
Efficient EV 86.8 0 $30.37 $13.88
EV Truck/SUV 138.8 1 $48.59 $22.21

Gas CO2

121 kg

EV CO2

41 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Jun 1, 2026

Origin

Hobbs, NM

Afternoon in Hobbs on Wednesday

Local time

1:04 PM

MDT

Current temp

64°F

Clear

SE 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Tome, NM

Afternoon in Tome on Wednesday

Local time

1:04 PM

MDT

Current temp

51°F

Clear

S 0 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

13 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

7h 3m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Petroglyph National Monument

Petroglyph National Monument

National Monument

Petroglyph National Monument protects one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, featuring designs and symbols carved onto volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers 400 to 700...

11 mi from route ~28 min detour Free near mile 323.2
Caution: Be City Smart: Take precautions to secure your vehicle and valuables.
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

The drive is characterized as a 'Mixed drive,' meaning you'll encounter a variety of road types. While 33% of the route is on highways, you'll also navigate local roads, including a significant 113.3-mile stretch on South Main Street. This suggests a journey that transitions from potentially faster highway travel to more local, perhaps slower, road conditions. The profile indicates a dynamic driving experience that changes as you progress from Hobbs towards Tome.

33% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 113.3 mi on South Main Street.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 257.2 miles in.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 347.1 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 257.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 315.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 315.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

High-altitude sections with notable climbs

6,816 ft 3,315 ft

Total Climb

4,235 ft

Total Descent

3,030 ft

Highest Point

6,816 ft

~247.9 mi in

Elevation Range

3,500 ft

Notable High Points

4,009 ft at ~24.8 miles +330 ft prominence
6,816 ft at ~247.9 miles +555 ft prominence
6,594 ft at ~297.5 miles +349 ft prominence

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Hobbs, NM to Tome, NM, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Fe along the way.

Santa Fe

315.3 mi in | ~6h 23m

Detours Along the Way

Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.

Kith+Kin

Cafe

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Artesia, NM

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-20:00; Sa 08:00-16:00

Visit website

Starbucks

Cafe

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour

Albuquerque, NM

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Hours: Mo-Su 05:00-21:30

Visit website

Starbucks

Cafe

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour

Roswell, NM

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Hours: Su-Sa 06:00-21:00

Visit website

Rustic Bubble Tea Cafe

Cafe

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour

Cuisine: bubble_tea;vietnamese

Dutch Bros. Coffee

Cafe

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

Albuquerque, NM

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Hours: 05:00-23:00

Visit website

Degenerate Coffee

Cafe

Early in the drive, short detour

Early stretch 1.8 mi from route ~4 min detour

Roswell, NM

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Hours: Tu-Sa 06:00-14:00

Visit website

Domino's

Fast_food

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.2 mi from route

Artesia, NM

Cuisine: pizza

Hours: Mo-Th 10:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-01:00; Su...

Visit website

La Fonda

Restaurant

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.1 mi from route

Cuisine: mexican

Visit website

McDonald's

Fast_food

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.1 mi from route

Cuisine: burger

Visit website

McDonald's

Fast_food

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Roswell, NM

Cuisine: burger

Hours: 05:00-24:00

Visit website

Sonic

Fast_food

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Roswell, NM

Cuisine: burger

Hours: Mo-Th 06:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-01:00; Su...

Visit website

Taco Bell

Fast_food

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Roswell, NM

Cuisine: tex-mex

Hours: 10:30-23:00

Visit website

Moore-Ward Cobblestone House

Attraction

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Artesia, NM

Visit website

Heritage Walkway

Attraction

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

Artesia

Hobbs Historical Marker

Park

Near the start, right off the route

0 mi from route

Oil County Historical Marker

Park

Near the start, right off the route

0 mi from route

William Baskin House Historic Site

Attraction

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

NM

Hodges-Runyan-Brainard House Historic Site

Attraction

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

NM

The Vaquero

Artwork

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.1 mi from route

The Rustler

Artwork

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.1 mi from route

Artesia Historical Museum and Art Centre

Museum

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

NM

Freedom's Fire

Artwork

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Baish Veterans Park

Memorial

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

Museum

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

Albuquerque, NM

Hours: Mo-SU 09:00-17:00

Hotel Artesia

Hotel

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.1 mi from route

Artesia

Visit website

Hardwick Hotel

Hotel

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.2 mi from route

NM

Heritage Inn

Hotel

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.1 mi from route

Ramada

Hotel

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour

Albuquerque

Visit website

Freeway Inn

Motel

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour

Ramada

Hotel

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 1.4 mi from route ~3 min detour

Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.

About the Cities

Starting in Hobbs, NM

Full guide →

Founded 1907

Hobbs is a city of 39,000 people (2019) in Southeast New Mexico.

Arriving in Tome, NM

Full guide →

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 3m. Total distance: 347.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

7h 3m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (33%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 113.3 miles on South Main Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 14 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Tome, NM before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 14 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.

Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NM can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.

The main spots that need attention: at 257.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 315.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 315.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Petroglyph National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 7.1 hours each way, a round trip means 14.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Tome, NM before the return drive.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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